A Lot To Smile About
by DobbyRocksSocks
Summary: Written for the Ravishing Romance Competition on HPFC. Harry gets some terrible news, is left literally holding the baby, but learns, in the end, he has a lot to smile about :)


**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

**A/N Written for the Ravishing Romance Competition on HPFC. This meant to be a short story, and it kind of run away a little. Anyway, its more of a pre-romance, but still, I hope it counts. Please review. **

Harry walked down to the dungeons, cursing all the way about the greasy git who was making him sit detention on a Saturday. He hadn't even done anything wrong, not really, well, he may have been out of bed after curfew, but still! It was Saturday for crying out loud. He thought they had gotten passed this when Harry had spent nearly a month in the hospital wing with the prat, trying to help him get better. Nagini's bite had tore through Snape's neck, leaving behind a very sick man who in all other realities should probably have died. As it is, Snape was nothing if not cautious, and he had taken the antidote to the snakes venom and carried a blood replenishing potion with him to meet the Dark Lord.

When they had left the hospital wing, Harry had thought that the two of them were, if not friends, then at least no longer enemies. Of course Snape had shook away that notion from him with the all mighty fit he had thrown when he caught Harry out of bed on Thursday night. Harry huffed as he straightened his shirt out, knocking on the door. A sharp "come in," had him entering the once again Potion's Master's office.

"Ah, Mr Potter, how nice of you to join me, and on time too, that is a feat in itself." Apparently Snape was going to be his usual snarky, sneering self, and Harry sighed to himself. He tried not to think of how Ron and Hermione and the rest of the eight years were all on their way to Hogsmead for a night at the new nightclub there.

"You will be writing lines, Mr Potter," Snape said silkily, pointing to the parchment and quill already set out on a table.

"Are you serious?" Harry asked, the disbelief and anger obviously evident in his voice.

"Deadly," Snape sneered.

Harry rolled his eyes as he sat down. "What do you want me to write, sir?"

"The first line is already written on the parchment for you," was the quiet reply, and Harry looked up at the amusement he thought he heard in the teachers tone. Dismissing it, he looked down at the parchment and almost choked."

'If I was not such an idiot to get caught, I would be out with my friends having a good time.'

Harry couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him at the line, wondering as he began to write, when did Snape get a sense of humor?

The hours passed in near silence, the only sounds, a slight scratching from Harry's quill, and the occasional scoff from Snape as he marked homework. Harry glanced at the clock periodically and at eleven o clock he put the quill down. Massaging his hand to try and get rid of the cramp, he glanced at Snape, taken aback to find him staring back. The atmosphere in the room felt charged all of a sudden, and Harry found himself struggling to breathe.

The flush in Snape's face told Harry that he wasn't the only one to have felt it.

"You may leave," He told Harry, his voice strained. Harry nodded, almost vaulting the tables to get out of the room. He ran until he was three floors up, before leaning against the wall, the breathlessness he was feeling, nothing to do with the run.

Pulling himself together, he began to walk up to the eight year common room, half of him wondering if it would be worth going into Hogsmead to meet his friends. Deciding it wasn't, since curfew was only just over an hour away, he carried onto the seventh floor, where the new rooms had been put for the returning students. In an effort to give them more independence, Headmistress McGonagall had turned almost all of the seventh corridor into rooms for the students, one each instead of dorms, and they had a large study area/library to themselves. He pulled one of the comfy chairs over to the fire, grabbed his homework from the table he had left it on before detention, and decided to try and get some work done until his friends returned.

Ron, Hermione, Dean, Lavender and Blaise Zabini entered the room at ten to one, just making their weekend curfew of one o clock. Ron was drunk, Hermione appeared exasperated, Blaise amused and Dean was currently trying to eat Lavender's neck.

"Hey guys, where's the rest?" Harry asked as they all took seats near him.

"They're all still at the club," Ron told him with a pout, making it very obvious to Harry that Hermione had practically dragged him back to the castle. He chuckled at his friend.

"I told you Ron, you'll thank me in the morning when they all have to do detentions with a hangover," Hermione said in her 'stay calm when talking to idiots' voice. Ron just rolled his eyes at her. "Are you coming to bed?" he asked, not in the least bit shy about the fact he had been staying in Hermione's room since they came back. She sighed and nodded, bidding Harry goodnight as they left. Ron just waved over his shoulder.

"How was detention?" Blaise asked, smirking at Harry.

"He made me write lines. I think I'm going to have cramp for the rest of my life."

"So you wrote lines, then came up here and did homework? Are you daft?"

"Nope, I'm not, because when everyone else is whining about homework tomorrow, I'll be off taking my Godson to the zoo," Harry smiled. He adored Teddy and they had a standing date every Sunday until Harry finished school, when he would take a more active role in raising Teddy. Andromeda had taken ill lately, and Harry was very worried about her. Losing Ted seemed to have taken all the fight out of her, and Teddy seemed to be the only thing keeping her going.

"Ah, are you fetching him for a visit after?" Teddy was the eight year mascot, every single student had fallen in love with the little guy when Harry fetched him to see Ron and Hermione. Harry had to fight the other's to even hold him when they were at Hogwarts.

"I don't know if we're going to have time, I'll try and drop by for half an hour before I take him home though," Harry replied, putting his homework and writing equipment into a pile ready to take to his bedroom.

They both turned at the same time, hearing some of the other students making a racket as they climbed the stairs.

"I'm going to bed," they muttered at the same time, before chuckling at each other. Harry picked his things up and walked quickly back up the corridor to his room, closing and locking the door behind him. If they were all getting a bollocking for being out after hours, Harry wanted no part in it. He quickly showered and climbed into bed, rubbing his eyes as he did so. Sleep came quickly for the boy who lived, although the dreams weren't as settling. A man, all sharp edges and lines, filled them as Harry tossed and turned.

Waking up, Harry blushed when he realised his sheets were wet. What was happening to him? He hadn't had a wet dream since he was about 15.

.x.X

Harry walked through the Hogwarts grounds, Teddy in a sling tied to his front, stopping every two minutes for people who wanted to coo at the little boy. Teddy was clearly enjoying the attention, giggling cutely all the way. Harry groaned. At this rate they were never going to make it up to the seventh floor.

The two of them had had an enjoyable day at the zoo, the elephants being Teddy's favorite animals. Every time Harry had tried to walk away from them, he had started to cry, his little hands pointing at the elephants as his face screwed up in an indignant scowl. It had taken Harry almost an hour to move away from them.

Finally making it up to the seventh corridor, he grinned at the others, most of them sat around in chairs, either dozing or holding their heads in their hands. He raised an eyebrow at Blaise.

"McGonagall had them all up scrubbing the plates in the kitchen at eight o clock this morning."

Harry laughed. he had to give it to her, McGonagall could truly be wicked at times. He passed Teddy into Blaise's waiting arms, and joined Hermione at one of the tables.

"Did you hear about their punishment?" she asked with a smirk.

"Blaise just told me. It seem's they're all waking up now though," he grinned as he saw them all heading in Blaise's direction, all wanting to see Teddy.

"Ron thanked me profusely this morning, of course, but it won't stop him from arguing with me next time we go out."

"Of course not," Harry agreed completely. Hermione was more than a match for Ron though, so he found the whole thing quite amusing. "You should let him stay one of these nights. The detention might just teach him a lesson. Harry was distracted by Draco greeting his mother in the fire.

"Mother, how are you?" he said as he walked over to the fire.

"Is Potter there?" she asked quickly. She sounded panicked, and Harry really didn't want to know what his name had to do with anything. He stood, walking over to the fire, and dropped down to his knees next to Draco.

"Potter you need to come to St Mungo's, send one of the other's to tell Minerva that Andromeda has been rushed in and to come as soon as she can. Hurry!"

Harry stood quickly, looking at Hermione. "You heard that?" he asked her quickly, glad when she nodded and took off immediately for the Headmistresses office. He took Teddy, quickly strapping him back in to the sling around his neck and set off at a jog, quickly making it to the apparition point. Holding Teddy close to him, he apparated to St Mungo's. Narcissa was waiting for him in the waiting room. Tears slid down her cheeks as she shook her head sadly. Harry felt as though his stomach had turned to stone.

"She died as I came out of the floo. When I arrived, she asked me to find you, and to tell you that she loves you and Teddy, and she knows you can do it. I think we both know what she was talking about." She glanced at Teddy, who was resting in Harry's arms, his eyes heavy as he fell asleep.

Harry felt the tears well in his eyes and rubbed at them furiously. He awkwardly gripped Narcissa's shoulder as he led her to a chair. He was about to talk when the Minerva came through the doors. She took one look at Harry and Narcissa and Harry knew no words were necessary. She sat facing them.

"I'm so sorry."

Narcissa nodded, wiping at her face. Harry conjured a silk handkerchief and handed it to her. She gave him a wobbly smile in thanks.

"Harry, I know we've never been on good terms, but, if you will allow it, I would like to be in Teddy's life. I could maybe take him for the occasional night to give you a break."

Harry nodded absentmindedly, the situation only just beginning to sink in, to realise he was going to have to grow up and be a father to the little boy in his arms. He didn't realise he was shaking until Narcissa gently placed a hand on his arm.

He blinked a few times, looking at the two women, looking and feeling a little bit lost.

"How am I going to take care of him full time?" he asked, the desperation in his voice making the women's hearts ache for him.

"We'll help, and I'm sure Molly and Arthur, and Bill and Fleur will also help as much as they can. You're not alone Harry," Minerva said gently.

"What about school? Can I take the courses and then go to a house...I don't even have anywhere for us to live, what...What am I going to do?"

"You will continue to live at Hogwarts. You will have to stay in your room tonight while I have the house elves arrange something more suitable for you. We will find a way to make this work Harry, between us. Narcissa, if you don't mind, I'd like to call Molly here."

"I have no problem with that," Narcissa answered quietly. As they sat waiting for Minerva to return, Teddy woke up wanting a bottle.

"Do you think you...Um...That is, would you mind holding him while I make him a bottle?"

Narcissa held out her arms for the child, and Harry handed him over. Unshrinking the bag he always carried when he had the little boy, he quickly mixed up a bottle, putting it into a conjured jug of water to warm it up. Narcissa was impressed despite herself how easy Harry handled it, Lucius had been horrible when she had had Draco, assuring her it was a mother's job to deal with the baby until he was old enough for punishment. When the bottle was warm, she handed Teddy back to Harry who began feeding him, easily resting him on his arm.

Ten minutes later, Minerva returned with Molly.

"Harry, dear, me and Arthur just had a quick discussion and we're quite willing to take Teddy until you finish school, or even after."

Harry frowned, and noticed that Minerva and Narcissa did too.

"You're not old enough to be a father after all, and I do miss having a baby around," she finished, smiling at him.

"I think you misunderstand Mrs Weasley, I don't want anybody to take Teddy anywhere. He's my godson and he'll stay with me. I was actually going to ask if you wanted to be my childminder until I leave school, working in Hogwarts of course, taking care of him while I'm in classes.I'm grateful for your offer, but I don't want to just ship him off. I love him and I love having him around."

Molly looked taken aback for a moment before she smiled again. "Of course dear, I don't know what I was thinking. I often still think of you and Ronald as children, but you're not anymore, are you?"

Harry shook his head, keeping an eye on Teddy who was drifting back off to sleep.

"I'd love to be your childminder Harry, for as long as you need me. I will occasionally ask if I can take him off the grounds though, take him to the park and things," she said, a little sad that her children, and surrogate children, had grown up so fast.

Harry nodded, turning to Narcissa. "You should be in Teddy's life too. I'll pop by next weekend if you have some spare time, to arrange something."

She smiled and nodded. Harry stood. "It's getting late, if you don't mind, I'm going to take Ted back to Hogwarts."

"I'll come with you Harry. Molly come to the castle tomorrow morning," Minerva said as she bid the two ladies goodbye. They apparated back to the castle, and Minerva walked all the way up to the seventh floor with him to address the students.

Harry walked straight to his room, closing the door behind him. He was surprised to find a cot, changing table and some clean clothes for Teddy had already been placed in this room, along with a bouncer that played music. Lying Teddy on the bed, he quickly went to the bathroom to run the back, and conjured a small baby bath seat. He could hear Minerva talking to the student's as he went back into the bedroom, and he paused to listen.

"I know you all want to share your sympathies with Harry, but if he would like to talk, he will come here. Please do not bother him in his room tonight, he needs some time to come to terms with what has happened."

Harry sighed. He was very grateful to Minerva, he didn't think he could cope with them all piling in tonight.

X. .x.X

Three o clock in the morning found Harry once again roaming the halls of Hogwarts, this time without his cloak, with a very tired, very cranky, baby in his arms. Once again, it happened to be Professor Snape that caught him.

"One would think that the line's you wrote last night would have turned you against night time wandering's Mr Potter," was his greeting as he fell into step beside Harry.

"Professor, I'm really not being rude, but do you think you could save the telling off until tomorrow," Harry replied tiredly. He had been at this for over an hour, but nothing he did seemed to soothe Teddy. He kept screwing up his face and pulling his legs up to his stomach. Harry had absolutely no idea what was wrong with him, but he was really considering a trip to Madam Pomfrey.

Snape watched Teddy for a minute. "Come with me Potter," he said quietly, leading him to the dungeons and into his private quarters.

"Wait here," he muttered, leaving through a different door. He came back minutes later with a bottle, freshly made. "Give him that," he ordered.

"What is it?" Harry asked, taking the bottle but not putting it anywhere near Teddy's mouth.

"It is milk Potter," Snape answered wryly.

"Yes, I can see that, but what is in the milk?"

Snape looked a little offended, but impressed. "I am glad that you take the boys safety more serious than your own. It had a mild colic relaxant in it, Potter. Your baby has colic."

Harry stared at Snape for a moment, before he run the bottle teet along Teddy's lips. With a little coaxing, the little boy began to drink. Within five minutes, he had relaxed into a peaceful sleep in Harry's arms.

"You are a god."

Snape looked taken aback before smirking. "Of course I am Potter, it has taken you a long time to realise it. I am assuming you would like some of the relaxant to take with you?" he asked rhetorically, already handing the bottle over to a grateful Harry.

"Thank you Professor. Do you mind if I leave while he is quiet, I'm hoping to get a little sleep before he wakes up."

Snape opened the door. "Oh, Potter, detention tomorrow night, for being out after hours. Bring the boy with you. Seven o clock."

X. .x.X

Harry and Teddy moved into their new rooms the next day, and Harry had to admit, he was very impressed with what the house elves had done. There was a large living room, a kitchen, a large bedroom for Harry, a bathroom, and the room that Harry really liked, was a beautiful nursery, pale blue in color, with matching carpet, blankets and curtains around an enchanted window. The rooms were fully kitted out, which left only clothes shopping for Harry to do. He spent most of the day doing just that, enjoying himself far more than he suspected he should be.

Packing up a bag for Teddy, including a shrunken bouncer, he made his way down to the Potions classroom where he assumed his detention would be. Snape was waiting at the door for him, but to Harry's surprise, he led them back down to the corridor to the quarters he had taken them last night.

The room was warm when they entered, and Harry immediately noticed the fire had been lit, making the room appear bright and welcoming. Snape closed the door behind them, then gestured to a rug, set just to the side of the fire.

"Set the boy there, he'll be warm enough."

Harry put Teddy in his bouncer, placing it on the rug, before he pulled out one of the new toys he had bought Teddy. It was a magical projector, and would play whatever the child wanted to them. He set it up, and immediately a large square shon from it, showing one of the programs Teddy watched at home with Andromeda. Chuckling at the now giggling baby, Harry looked at Severus. "What am I to be doing, sir?"

"I thought you could help me marking some of this ridiculous homework. It will be good practice for when you become a teacher yourself."

Harry started. He didn't know Minerva had told anyone about that. "How did you know?" he asked as he took the stack he was handed and sat down at the table a little away from Teddy.

"Minerva told me of course. It is a good career for you I think, especially now you need more stability in your life."

Harry nodded, that had been his thoughts too. He had discussed it with Minerva before of course, but today she had informed him that if he worked hard to get his masters next year, the job was his the following year. He could, of course, stay in the castle in the meantime.

They worked in silence for a while, a comfortable silence, broken occasionally by Teddy giggling.

"Professor, why did we stop being friends?" Harry asked after a while, still looking at the paper he was marking. It was only the first years, apparantly that was all he was trusted with.

"I didn't know we ever were friends Potter," Snape replied, a bit harsher than intended.

"You know what I'm talking about Professor. We spent almost every hour together for over a month and then nothing. You didn't even reply to the letter's i sent you before school started."

"What letters?" Snape asked sharply, looking up from his markings.

"I sent you three letters...Ginny," Harry growled. He had told Ginny over the summer that he was gay, and she had gone absolutely ballistic at him. She was certain he was involved with Snape when he spent so much time with him. "I apologise professor, it appears Ginny wasn't quite finished with her revenge when she told the papers of my sexual orientation."

Snape seemed to contemplate his words for a moment.

"I thought you wished it, that we had no more correspondence, when you didn't write as you said you planned on, I rather thought you had changed your mind about the whole thing."

Harry shook his head. "I waited and waited for a reply, when i didn't receive one after the third letter, I thought perhaps you had had enough of me."

"I apologise for being so short with you this past six months then Harry, I found myself rather...fond of you, and then assumed you had just been spending time with me out of pity."

"I wouldn't ever do that. And I find myself rather...taken with you too, Severus."

They shared a smile. Harry turned his attention to Teddy, who had fallen asleep in his bouncer. "Do you mind if I take him back to our rooms?"

"Of course not, it is getting rather late."

"Maybe, you could, um, assign me another of these detentions soon?"

"You are welcome here whenever you choose to come. Both of you."

Harry smiled again, a smile that melted Severus just a little. He gathered his things, gently levitating the bouncer in front of him, and walked to the door, Severus behind him as he did.

"It might be nice if you could find a babysitter for the occasional Friday night, perhaps this Friday?" Severus questioned, sounding hesitant.

"I'm sure I can arrange something," Harry replied as he opened the door, levitating Teddy's bouncer in front of him. He turned slightly, smiling when he saw how close Severus was to him. He gently pressed a kiss to the corner of Severus's mouth.

"I'll pick you up from your room at seven on Friday?"

Harry nodded, feeling lightheaded from the happy dance his insides were currently doing. Severus smiled at him, a true smile, full of warmth and promise. Walking down the corridor, Harry couldn't help but feel he had a lot to look forward to. He was happy with his life, and even with the upset of the looming funeral, he felt he had a lot to smile about. Hopefully, somewhere, Andromeda was sat on a cloud perhaps, holding Teds hand as she smiled down on them.


End file.
